PG&E’s Smart Grid Plans for Shorter Power Outages: Pacific Gas & Electric has released a host of news in the l...

Pacific Gas & Electric has released a host of news in the last month that helps explain how a multi-tiered smart grid approach adds up to ever-increasing benefits in terms of one key function: finding and restoring power outages. Consider it one angle for examining how distribution grid automation and management is emerging as the new focus of utility smart grid projects around the country. PG&E is far from the first utility to combine smart meters, power line sensors, remote-control grid switches, communications and software in this fashion, of course. Utility spending on smart distribution grid systems -- the smart grid that lies between utility substations and customer meters -- is set to outpace spending on smart meters over the coming years, rising from $2.2 billion in 2010 to $5.6 billion in 2015, according to GTM Research . Bit given PG&E's role as a smart grid vang...